Thrashing machine



G. P. LUEDKE.

' THRASHVING MAcHrNE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2, 192i. A

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

" Reissud June 13, 1922,.

G. P. LUEDKE.

THRASHING MACHINE. APPucATloN man 106.2. 1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5,(

Wir-ae. smiles PATENT carica.

evsmv PAUL wenn. 0F. sriNGrlLe ILLINOis.

THBASHING MACHINE.

specification of Reissued Leitersratenf. Reissued Julie 13 1922 Original No. 1,379,112, dated May 24, 1921, Serial No. 325,856, filed September 24, '19119. Application for reissue Bled August 2, 1,921.

To all au from 'it may concern Be it known that I, GUs'rAv PAUL LUEDKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Thrashing Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines particularly designed for use in harvesting the seeds of sweet clover although it can also be used for harvesting other kinds of seeds and grains.

It has been the practice, heretofore, when harvesting seed, to first out the vegetation by means of suitable harvester, convey the cut material to a thresher, and then, if the vegetation is to be used for the purpose of enriching the soil, it has been carried back to the field, spread thereover, and turned under. This practice is objectionable because of the considerable loss of seed duringl the cutting, carrying and thrashing operations, and because of the loss of time andl labor resulting from the carrying of the cut inaterial and necessary use of different niachines for the different operations.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a machine which can be propelled through the growing vegetation and will operate thereon to separate the ripe seedsl from the stalks and stems, there being means for gathering the seeds and conveying them to sacks or other containers, so that the vegetation will be left standing in the field with the seeds removed therefrom and ready to be turned under whenever desired.

A further object is to provide simple and efficient means for separating the seeds from 'their stems without injury to t-he plants, said plants being left standing where they can be again acted on by the machine at a later -date to remove seeds that have ripened subsequently to the first opera-tion.

Another object is to provide means for direct-ing the separated seeds to suitable conveying means.

A still further object isr to provide means for adjusting the machine quickly to the height of the vegetation.

Vith the foregoingand other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combina- Serial No, 89,389.

tions of parts which willbe hereinafter more fully described and pqlltedpout in the claims, it being understood that: various changes may be made in the construction and ai'- rangement ofthe parts withoutndepartino from the spirit or. sacrificing any of the adt ifantages of the invention as set forth. in the appended claims. Y i

In the accompanying drawings one form of the invention has been shown. i A n In said drawings Figure l is a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is an elevation ofva portion of the machine showing the opposite side thereof.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig.V 2. i

Fig. 4.- is a section on line 1 -4, Fig. 3.

Big. 5 is a plan view of the conveyers and their pans.

F'g. 6 is an elevation of'one of the thrashi ing wheels and showing the active face thereof.

F 7 is a face view of one ofthe thresher guards.

Fig. 8 is a section on line. 8-8, Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section through one of the pans and adjacent parts. b

Fig. 10 is a section on line 10-10, Fig. 5.

Fig. ll is a section on line ll-ll, Fig. 5.

Fig. l2-is a face view of a portion of one of the. revoluble thrashing elements.

Fig. 13 is an edge view of the structure shown in Fig. l2.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, l designates an elongated frame which can be formed of connected forwardly diverging beams, as shown, and the rear end of this frame is supported by a steering wheel 2 the stem 3 of which can be turned a lever 4- or in any other desired manner.

The front portion of the frame l is supported by wheels 5 erected on this front portion and between the wheels is a housing 6 which can be of any desired construction. Av transverse shaft 'T is supported on the housing at the front of the top thereof and a tiltable frame 8 is mounted to swing on .this shaft, said frame being extended forwardly and rearwardly beyond the shaft and being suitably reinforced, as by means of a truss 9. The back portion of the frame is connected by a rod l0 to the front end of a lever lil which is fuleruined on the frame l,

" 30 S 7 receivesr s lniotionthrough 40 2T, the 'sa l huhand im being disposeril in tinsclirectlrV thereunder,A and the lowerrns, e

are' parallel Withthe planeofrotationf These rsupplemental hlades are tapered slightly in "their vdire tion of rotation and are provided, .in thei reelongitudinal'edges, With notches r, re.v seyes 34 similar tothe recesses 32. `lonnted'on the Atan blades-B0 near the huh or each vWheel are thrashing. blades 35 similar to lout smaller than the blades Bl and inten endof the frame. l inet "ate t vashin "blades 6 are also secured l()` The frame 8 has paralle tothe les 3G and are similar toithe'lolades also provided `W th i 55 The/blades k2536. are disposedoppositethe rd-ly inclined sidearrns (Jntheee sp es hetweenthe adesivi-3l andthe le'lades"y 141 andl` i "journal a -transverse are posed 4opp'ositethe spaceshetweeri shaft rtoj-Which i'ssecuredasprocket 17're' the lol' ceiving motion, through a chain '18', from Supported from the arlns 'lil of the frame another' sprocket 19;v This sprocket 'is mount- Slare' guards7,one guard beinglocated hejed lon the s aftf and is ynormallycouplerjly tween the two intermediate wheels while anthereto hya'clutch Q() having,- :o-o} erating other guard is arranged close tothe outer ratchet teeth, AfspringQLi s amainst side ot"y eacl'i-o'f said"intermediate Wheels. 20 thesprocket tofhold' the clutch members norrlheinterrnediate guard 37 is` provided on s y nially iny engagement Aand lt te [l1 of the eachitaee with suporposed thrashingns 38.` clutch rnenllbers'areso pitched `each o't `which is in the orniol' an inverted machine is propelled Jorward n `t 1e vshaft 7 V gradually ncixreasing in its Width troni its "will" transmit Inotion througl the clutch,v ends toits apex.` Thefree longitudinal edges s oclretsA lchain tothe hatt hut,` *hen oil the -ne areiprovided with recesses 39 ,the 9 the machine is stopped, tl e clutch n'leirnher imills olt'zwhich coni/erge asslriown. The rear onthe shaft 7` rwill slip relative to jthe clutch Wallso'f the recesses in the front haltl of each t Il 'duringfthe conlinr are inclined laterally and rearwardly t 'i6 due toinornenf while the front Walls ofthe 'recesses in the rear portions oit the `tins are similarly in- 9 clined'. All remaining walls o'l the recesses areextended laterally -'perpendicularly to the ace 'ot the guard "helins on the two as shown atlQ and extends rearwardly to point where 'itcan loek conveniently` asped and operated by ,the carriedyloy the rear/p ion if the "Thus the dri-ver can readily steer n,

chine by means of the "arms l and can` at the v, Sametime operate the lever lLt-o lswing the f' frame 8 and therelo aise or ,lower the ont a ,s'prock'` 99 secured the. to, acha Q3, and n a sprocket Q4Lfsecured'to vone of the Wheels 5.

Secured to the shaft 16` so as to ro ate f therefith thr hingr Wheels -ot e Ail ide'sof thewcentral `guard 37 are extended 354 construction those Wheels at one site o't ie 'toward the respective intermediate thrashing;r i

center of theimachine h ing arranged oppof wheels and on the outer sidesrof the other isitely' to thewheels at. the ot 5er side of the Ojuards the fins are 'extended laterally` center'. lllatizh'wheel includes a huh 25 from towartfl the` outer*y thrashing Wheels.` In

which radiate yspolresvfQG, connected to arinievery case the upper tins arewider than the different planes ot rotation, as shown.v Se a-renarrower than the remaining fins. This4 cui yto and h'etweenwthe spokes, at their isshonui dearly inthe drawings.

ends andclose to 'the rlrn El are spacy.

p n A transverse sh aft il-011s supportcd lay-the' )locks Q8 the Jree longitudinal edges oil housing 6 and hasy a tube or ysleeve ,4l h are pi' ided with` angular i, ces mounted ft tion thereon` in the housv Y, "the advancing rw ach; recess ng Aoerling, To this sleeve is secured atransversependicular 'to the plane ofl 'otation ol tll e 1.` 42 ongfWhich ar Qsecurely mounted ,wheel While theL otherwall of each rrecess'` ll trou s45-3 rd all. 'llietrough i3 inclined, as shown@ lecuredtoV inclined ially 'under thekspace vwalls of i 1, Y, 29 i are theciilvterend iate th ashing Wheels 130' -e n10' l channels.

of this .t

shown. yErected 'on' each o .1 iese lola les ylv d it descr ed; A transver rare supplemental blades lthevsides ci Wlinch is journaled inv the rear portions y the troughs and one end thereof extends through an arcuate slot 48 in one wall of thehousing 6. A sprocket 49 is secured to the projecting end of this shaft and receives motion through a chain 50 from a sprocket 5l secured to the shaft 40. Pulleys 52 or the like are secured to the shaft 47 and arelocatedf in the rear ends of the respective troughs and are engaged by conveyers eX- tending longitudinally of the troughs. Each conveyer consists of parallel belts 53 connected by cross strips 54 adapted to scrape along the bottoms of the troughs so as to drag seeds along ythe troughs vto the open rear ends thereof. Pulleys 55 are located in the front ends of the troughs on shaft 55 to support the conveyers. Cross strips 56 are erected at the front ends and at intermediate points above the troughs and support longitudinalv guard rails 57 located above the centers of the troughs and adapted to prevent vegetation from sagging into the troughs and becoming entangled with the conveyers. An inclined board 58 or the like is employed for directing material from the open rear ends of the troughs 43 and 44 to the lower end of an elevator 59. A shaft 60 is adapted to operate this elevator and has a sprocket 6l and receives motion through a chain 62 from a sprocket 63 connected to one of the wheels This same chain also engages the sprocket 64 'attached to the shaft 40. Chains 65 or other flexible devices support the front ends of the troughs from the front ends of the arms 14 so that when the frame 8 is tilted in the manner hereinbefore described and the wheels of the thrashing mechanism are raised or lowered, a corresponding movement will be imparted to the troughs which will swing about their fulcrum 4l.

For thepurpose of gathering the vegetation and directing it properly into the spaces between the troughs and'between the thrashing elements forwardly tapering separators 65" are extended from the front ends of the troughs 43 and 44 and tapered guide lingers 66 are extended forwardly from the arms l5. Guards 67 are supported under the arms l5 and are connected thereto by front arcuate rods 68 and by hangers 69.

The manner of steering, adjusting and driving' t-he various parts of the machine has already been described; Then the machine is propelled forwardly, either by horses connected to the rear portion of the frame l` or by a tractor suitably positioned, the separators 65 and the fingers 6G will wedge into the standing vegetation and separate it into rows which will be received between the troughs 43 and 44. A deflecting finger 70 is supported above the back end of each side 'separator 65 and extends rearwardly, the two fingers converging as shown. rIhus as the rows of vegetation arey received between the troughs they will be pressed laterally by the fingers 70 out of the paths of the blades 3l and toward the guard-37 at the' center of the machine. Projecting portions 7l are provided on the rear vends of the fingers 66 and serve to press certain of the rows of vegetation laterally out of the paths of the thrashing blades of the side thrashing wheels and toward theside guards 37.

Thus as the machine moves forwardly and.

3l as well as the thrashing blades 35 and 36 continue their rearward movement during the rotation of the thrashing wheels they will engage the stalks, which are stiff, and drag them overlthe fins 38 thereby bending the stalks into numerous angles while the seeds are beaten olf by the thrashing blades. The recesses in the thrashing blades and in the fins subject the stalks to intermittent compression and release so that clicking' of the machine is prevented and the recesses in the fins likewise hold up the stalks during the thrashing operation. Immediately after the vegetation has been acted upon by the blades on the wheels it arrives between the narrow portions of the troughs where it can spread out and thus allow the machineto withdraw therefrom easily and without pulling. The stalks will thus be left standing and can be again operated onl at a later time after other seeds or grains have ripened.

During the thrashing action which has just been described, the fan blades 3() set up light currents of air toward the guards 37 so that the seeds or. grains, as loosened and detached from the stalks, will be blown laterally to fall into the respective troughs and the conveyers in these troughs will carry the material rearwardly to the elevator which, in turn, will elevate said material to a spout 72 where it can be discharged into sacks.

By providing the guards 37 with fins 38 located at different elevations and by providing the thrashing wheels with blades located at different distances from the centers of the wheels, all seed or grain bearing portions of the stalks will be acted upon aud by arranging the blades 3l of `different widths, as shown the denser growth near the surface of the ground will be subjected to substantially the same degree. of compression during the thrashing operation as will the less compact growth at the tops of the stall-fs. As a result of this uniform compression of the vegetation there is no danger lOO llO

fm v y 1s elennecllefe y l .z eem nleene '.tlng the 'yegete- 5 LMA threslnng machine*includ-lng ele'vnwletemlly 't1-mn the paths the l'evelnn @ft threelin e' element lcc :operetlng thel/mf'tll1 the y l feces et Seid( elemente een'veligc e; tht eln Wheel het/ing l5 the miiel @E rotational? thefrevten y endrzujlellyspaced thresljle( ent. blecflee intending 'lsvei'eelyelf-the fen 'en lente. Towegeit emperat-l Shing elements fegetetlen thereneteriel is benne; n ctetly nnen l fing thus rleeeribel'lthe elnble threshng ,elemen't., yenether threshing `ble elementS -Whileentering between the element et one vrsmile thereof,v seid 'elen'len'tev nl encl rem. lljlle 'tln'eellnlg"elements, and x hevlng rthen eeeperetlno pen' "the v1revehlble elemente 'fen en towerdthe ement jlffetetmn of the Levolnble 5, 'tl y vefvetetlen when released from,

" e cletlee end; Werking; 1t along 10 element. y f

2. vAtlnj'eel'l'lng nnte/luneincluding e Tevwenn te sepm'zifte the I olnble tl'neelnng element, e stetlenmy y v :lng lneehlne el? thek chel'- atei Llentleorl'leh ngiene,

`the reeetlge Vevehlble ebont en,

ne; n thrashing D seperated materiel blown by en Ineens fel' conveying 1n ete- "from the t1 ngh.

` Th eomb l tuley 'et etntlo (lil y enpel lin bern' with `the portable f tl'nieehing elenlel'lts f l lne Dit varying inits lee mening, wheels 0001 w ltl'lsed eleH r l eeh n jnelnchnY 'l kspeeecl 45' non-ellen A I i 'enchngpf `letemlxl L ce1 n y i 1g .niet mn,

l e' l lmv'lng notehee .ln 1t free.V e4 hav l? erebetween epe f nelly' of ythe n ng et lne7 'ineens 0l ne .ente te 'unl a lhe combination with a portables of' e stetlonznyi elet ent nehn. 1g vfn being wheel 'cooperating nl lnelnchng rec elly speeeclnon-elinn fhevln'g notches inv then 'l e blades b ine;` etten from en ,te (il l extending;r laterally towel'cl the tln'esh ,j element adjeeent tl1e1:'eto,eel enpplem eeeivng etz hng stelles, meen .y blades youtetetncln' 'from end entemlingqv lng, the '1' y lnble elemente; to impart e, letlongltncllnally of certe n oil he :bl'fnlee `(..n l` e) lletlon tu the. stalks "tofheke the the'wheel.y l n ,f seeds thereflrenl and .fen blades upon. 7,"The eolnblnetxonfwlth wpolgtebleStrne- 'one 31de of eeehoftherevolnblev elements 65'r tn1fe,nnl menne egnjiIL-lefjlthereby :lor cllvnln'lg' for'blowmg the Sepelfated eeede 21,-gat1net:therv fixed element, and means for collecting seeds grain, including a fixed, longitudinallyT extending' guard, thrashing elements thereon, revoluble thrashing elements cooperatingl with the elements on the guard to impart a lateral oscillation to standing stalks received between the fixed and revoluble thrashing elements, and ian blades upon one side olI each of the revoluble thrashing elements for blowing separated seeds against the guard, and means for collect-ing seeds from the guard.`

16. A machine i'or thrashing standing grain, including a. longitudinally extending guard, superposed angular, recessed thrashing elements thereon, a. revoluble wheel, superposed recessed thrashingr elements on the wheel and cooperating with said elements on the guard to impart a lateral vibration to standing stalks to shake ripe seeds therefrom, fan blades on one side of thewheel for blowing the separated seeds against the guard, and means for collecting the seeds from the guard.

17. In a thrashing machine, seed-collecting means, a plurality of coacting thrashing members together forming an open thrashing zone, and means for creating and directing a blast of air into said zone in such wise as to force the threshed grain into said collecting means.

18. In a machine for thrashing standing grain, a thrashing wheel, a plurality ot thrashing elements carried by said wheel, and means also carried by said wheel for creating a current of air which aids in the collection of the seeds after the latter have been separated from the stalks.

19. In a machine for thrashing standing grain, a collection trough, a thrashing wheel, thrashing elements carried by the latter, means also carried by said wheel 'tor creating a current of air which blows the seeds laterally away from said wheel as the same are separated from the stalks, and means for deiiecting the seeds thus acted upon into said trough.

20. In a thrashing machine, a frame, a plurality of thrashing elements mounted on an axis disposed transversely of said frame, said elements being separated to form thrashing zones, collecting troughs located below said zones and extending longitudinally of said frame, and blower means associated with said thrashing elements for assisting in depositing the seeds in said troughs.

21. In a. machine for thrashing standing grain. cooperating thrashing elements spaced apart to provide thrashing zones, 1ndividual collecting means located beneath said Zones for collecting the seeds as the lat- 5 ter are separated from the stalks, and. means in advance of said zones for divi'tling the standing grain into rows.

:22. In a machine for thrashing standing grain, cooperating thrashing elements spaced apart to providethrashing zones, indivi-dual collecting means located beneath said Zones Yt'or collecting` the seeds as thek latter are separated :trom the stalks, means in Yrance ot said zones for dividing the standing grain into rows, a receptacle common to all of said collecting means, and means associated with the latter for conveying the seeds into said receptacle. 23. In a machine for thrashing standing grain, a frame, a plurality of spaced apart cooperating thrashing elements carried by the frame and forming thrashing :cones arranged in succession transversely thereof, and seed-collecting and` conveying means lextending longitudinally of the trame below said zones.

24. In a machine 'for thrashingstanding grain, a frame, a plurality of spaced apart cooperating thrashing elements carried by the frame and forming thrashing Zones arranged in succession 'transversely thereof, seed-collecting and conveying means extending longitudinally ofthe frame below said Zones, and mea-ns associated with a port-ion of said thrashing elements for'setting up currents or' air which aid in the collection of the threshed grain.

25. In a machine of the class described, revoluble thrashing means,`stationary thrashing mea-ns, collecting means, and means 100 associated with said revoluble thrashing means forsetting up lateral air currents which act to force the threshed grain against said stationary thrashing means and into said collecting means.

l 26. In a thrashing machine, aithrashing wheel including radial fan blades, and radially spaced thrashing blades extending transversely of the fan blades and projecting laterally therefrom.

Q7. 1. machine for thrashing standing grain, including a longitudinally extending guard, thrashing elements thereon, a revoluble wheel, thrashing elements upon the wheel and cooperating with the elements on 115 said guard to impart a lateral vibration to 'the standing stalks to shake ripe seeds there- "i ,thrashingA nmeans` for i dividingr the grainy into ooaoti-ng with' saicirstationary element, and an'h1a'dee--Carrier. 'y y y tor-bloivi-nf1 the Separated SeedsH against the 1 #lO Conveying? means .tionary thrashlnlrg l .iov-able" thereim. a etaeiement Supported. above ea'idwtrouein I a movable thrashinv element v *o i ,i t)

yfsaid movable element Sairistationar3`f eie'mentfa'nri into ai f1 trough.

n fgliia thraehingmaehine, a Supporting l trame, stationary ti'iraehingeiements carried i saidu frame, `revohihie= blower Wheels *M20` Heetlng the threehedgrain into, Jiri trough,

afnd blower: y.means Ilior to mounted` onV Said jiamer;v anni thrfishing.v ele-v "mente carried. by. said wheels"andadapted to ooaot n1 th r"said, i etatonar; rotatirrii` of Said Wheelery Gated h eneath Saldi ele i, ents,- me ne for i der eing., th v threshed grain yagainst a said,y 'de'e'eting means i' n '33hA.v vthrashing j vv.machine comprising spaoed f apart memhe g machine, a trough,y

f elemente upon rows hetweenrsaid members in Said zones.

n *providing :an open thrashingE` zone5 means for l,thrashing- Stand:

inggrain insaid aonemeane for receiving` the stalks, and means tor toreii'ig `a currentot air thronghveaid zonefin euch Wise as. to direct Said Seeds into said' receiving means.

34. A, thrashing;V machine Comprising spaced 'apart members providing an' {open 'thrashing Zone, means for thrashing' stan@ ing grain in Said zone, means for receiving the Seeds as; the latterare Separated from.`

the stalks, andmea-ns tor forcing aeurrent of' air through said zone in euch Wise as to: di' ot eairi Seeds into 'eairireoeivingmeans, si d Met-named meane 'formingv a `part of Said thraehinp?v means.

'35; in ar machine for thraehingy standil'lgf the Seeds as the'iatter! are eeparated from grain eooperati ng thrzziehing el ementeepaoeii y apartk to provide thrashing-zon eoileoting rijlemhere Underlying'said zonesvand extend'- ingilongitudinally of saidmael;1ine. and means lfor guiding);l the s'tanrh grain mi` ltsbpassage to In teetimonywhereofl have 'eilheoriheci my name. i I i i i GUSTAV PAULLUEDIIE.` 

